Monday, August 10, 2009

Public Relations - NOELA JANE V. RELOX

Setting the Agenda

Media plays a big role in the world. Informing everybody on what’s happening now and by keeping us updated and educated.

“Agenda setting” theory of Mass Communication effects on media impact by distinguishing between what we think about and what we think. It suggests that mass media can have substantial and important impact on the cognitive level (what we know about) without affecting predisposition (our opinions and feelings).

Imagine the potential consequences of media agenda setting. First, media coverage can elevate the public standing of issues, organization, people, and institutions. Second, changes in the amount of media attention can lead to changes in public priorities. Third, the more concerned people are about something, the more they tend to learn about it. The stronger their opinions are of it, and the more they tend to take action on it. Fourth, media coverage can affect the agenda priorities of some specific and important publics such as legislator and other policy makers.

Mass Communication can affect public opinion by raising the salience issues and positions taken by people and group in the news, the agenda-setting theory contributes to the conceptual foundation for public relations mass communication. Public relations practitioner getting an issue onto the media can make a good and bad thing. It can be good, when you want to raise awareness of an issue and will be bad if when something embarrassing, dangerous or illegal happens at your organization. Being aware of the power of media agenda setting is a key to the strategic management of public relations communication.

Two Concepts in Agenda Setting Theory and Research

Issue Salience

- determines the prominence and penetration the issue has with the audience, or how well it resonates with each public. People will care about an issue if it is close to their interest.

Cognitive Priming

- describes the personal experience or connection. If someone has the same situation in a particular issue they tend to rely on media for getting information. Stimulating your audience interest can enhance the agenda-setting effect.

DIFFUSING INFORMATIOIN AND INNOVATION

By the help of media that provide information to public can help people to interact with each other. Like talk about something that was related to their lives. Everyday, every minute there is a new story. And this story can be the start of our connection.

Diffusion of information and innovation theory explains this process. Characteristics of innovation or new ideas as well as characteristics of the adopters influence adoption process. Ideas or innovations are more readily adopted if they are:


1. Move advantageous than the current situation.
2. Compatible with previous experience and other aspects of the situation.
3. simple
4. easily tried
5. Observable with readily apparent outcomes.

Diffusion and adoption processes illustrate the impact that mass communication has on interpersonal communication and networks, also show how mass and interpersonal communication interact in social systems and in social change.

DEFINING SOCIAL SUPPORT
Where is your voice? Why you keep silent even if you have idea on your mind?.
This is a big problem to us, being individuals in this world even if we have mouth that can use to say what we want we still choose to remain silent.

A big problem that we need to face....

“Spiral of Silence” theory suggests a phenomenon commonly referred to as “the silent majority”. People who think their opinion conflicts with the opinion of others decided to remain silent on an issue. Even if a majority actually agree but do not individually recognize social support, their silence and inactivity can lead to the erroneous conclusion that not many people support a particular view. The spiral begins when individual choose to remain silent or decide to express their views. It continues as others observe the presence or absence of support for their own views. It gains apparent legitimacy when increasing numbers of individuals translate their observations into either public silence or expression.

Media coverage can reflect, enforce, or challenge the spiral of silence effect on public opinion. But understanding the dynamics of individual’s collective observations of their social environments and public opinion translates directly into public relations practice.

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